Ortega wins Nicaraguan presidency

Daniel Ortega addresses supporters after being proclaimed president of Nicaragua next to his wife, Rosario Murillo, and opponent Eduardo Montealegre (r) in Managua. Photograph: Miguel Alvarez/AFP/Getty Images

The Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega today called for reconciliation, stability and a renewed effort to pull Nicaragua out of poverty after being confirmed as the new president.

The former Marxist revolutionary who fought a US-backed insurgency in the 1980s had his victory confirmed by officials yesterday, adding another nation to Latin America's leftist bloc.

Venezuela's anti-US leader Hugo Chávez immediately said the two countries would be "uniting as never before" to construct a socialist future.

In his post-victory comments, however, Mr Ortega laid out more moderate goals, saying he would work to eliminate poverty in the western hemisphere's second-poorest country after Haiti. He also reassured investors he was open to business and promised to "create a new political culture" that would "put the Nicaraguan people, the poor first".

"We are showing the country that things are stable, that we can set aside our political positions and put first our commitment to pull Nicaragua out of poverty," he said in a brief speech. He was expected to address supporters at length in a rally this afternoon.

His supporters waved black-and-red party flags and sang Mr Ortega's campaign song, set to the tune of John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance.

In an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, Mr Ortega's vice-president, Jaime Morales, a former Contra who was once one of Mr Ortega's biggest enemies, said the first thing the new administration would do is "talk immediately with all the businessmen to maintain their confidence and reassure them that everything's fine". The United States, which had warned against a win by the former revolutionary, did not immediately comment on the results. But the former US president Jimmy Carter, who served as an election observer, said yesterday in Managua that the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, "assured me that no matter who was elected, the US will respond positively and favourably".

With 91% of the ballot counted, Mr Ortega had 38% of the votes compared with 29% for his rival Eduardo Montealegre. Under Nicaraguan law, the winner of Sunday's election must have 35% of the vote and a lead of 5 percentage points to avoid a runoff vote.

Mr Montealegre conceded defeat, congratulated Mr Ortega and called for reconciliation: "Nicaragua needs to move forward. The people have suffered enough."

The result was a major turnaround after three failed bids for the presidency by the 60-year-old Mr Ortega, capping a 16-year quest to return to his old job. He has said he has changed profoundly since he befriended Soviet leaders, expropriated land and fought Contra rebels in a war that left 30,000 people dead and the economy in a mess.

Mr Ortega lost the presidency in 1990, ending Sandinista rule and the Contra war. He has run for president in every election since.

"I'm happy that at last we have won," said Maria Rosario Ruiz, 34. "I voted in the last two elections, and we've finally won."

Mr Ortega toned down his once-fiery rhetoric during the campaign, promising to support a regional free trade agreement with the US and maintain good relations with Washington.

Mr Montealegre said he and his party's lawmakers would spend the next five years ensuring that Mr Ortega stayed true to his pledges to promote private business and allow a free press.

Mr Montealegre's newly formed Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance emerged as the strongest opposition party in Congress, winning 27% of the vote compared with 38% for the Sandinistas. The exact number of seats for each party have yet to be assigned.

While Ortega loyalists danced across Nicaragua, some in the middle and upper classes warned that Mr Ortega would scare away investment, jeopardise US relations and even plunge the country back into civil war.

Since Mr Ortega's defeat in 1990, US money has flowed to Nicaragua in the form of investments by foreign companies drawn by the country's cheap labour, low crime rates and recent decision to join the Central American free trade agreement.

Latin American leftists leaders congratulated Mr Ortega on his win. Mr Chávez has tried to help Mr Ortega by shipping discounted oil to energy-starved Nicaragua.

During a congratulatory telephone call with Mr Ortega, Venezuela's leftist leader said his victory boosted what he called the rising power of the left in Latin America.

"We're happy here. We're very proud of you," Mr Chávez said during a televised speech yesterday as he called Mr Ortega by mobile phone.

Mr Ortega could be heard replying with praise for Mr Chávez's leadership. "You are showing us the path," he said. "Long live Venezuela!"